when one has a tooth extracted or removed or pulled,they are left with a wound in the mouth for a few days.Taking good care of this sore site in the mouth is the difference between a painful after experience or quick healing.Here are a few instructions to follow to avoid complications;

Postoperative pain
Like any surgery, taking a tooth out can result in discomfort for a few days following the surgery. This is to be expected and can be remedied with simple pain killers. Your dentist or surgeon will be able to prescribe the correct medication and dosage according to how the surgery went, and we normally recommend the use of the analgesics for a few days after the surgery. This should not be long term and gradually you can start to wean yourself off the medications as necessary. Depending on the surgery, infection status of the tooth, and general well being of the patient, you may also be prescribed antibiotics, and if this is the case, then please make sure to complete the whole course and not to stop even if you are symptom free.

 

Bleeding
This is usually self-limiting as the pooling of cells causes a blood clot to form at the extraction site. This could take up to a few hours and it is normal for some oozing of blood to occur up to the first 24 hours or so. You can help stop the bleeding yourself by making sure you apply pressure on the extraction site by biting onto a gauze for at least 30 minutes  after the removal of the tooth. The more pressure that is applied the better. You also have to refrain from agitating the blood clot forming, by not rinsing, or pushing your tongue against the socket, and if you can avoid spitting it would be advantageous.

 

Dry Socket
A dry socket is an infection that occurs after an extraction. This usually occurs as the blood clot gets washed away (for various reasons, including food impaction) and exposes the walls of the bone, which then in turn become infected. This normally occurs 3 days after the extraction and is identifiable by the change in nature of the pain from a deep ache to a more continuous pain. The pain is usually accompanied with a foul taste. There are predisposing factors to this condition, including smoking, oral contraceptives and the difficulty of the surgery. Although this is a condition that may arise, especially with difficult wisdom teeth extractions, it is fortunately easy to treat with a simple cleaning of the socket and dressing with an antiseptic dressing and the symptoms usually resolve within minutes, and therefore if you suspect that your socket is infected, it is advisable you see your dentist as soon as possible to treat this condition.

So, in conclusion, although there are some symptoms to be expected after extraction of  teeth, these are usually self limiting. In addition all the above symptoms usually occur for the first few days after surgery and most patients recover fully from any symptoms within 7-10 days. If you have any doubts however a quick visit to your dentist will help alleviate your concerns and tackle any issues which may have arisen.